Unbeatens highlight Primm boxing card

It has been a long time since Gary Shaw promoted a boxing card in Nevada. So long, in fact, some might have thought he had quit the business.

The New Jersey-based promoter last did a show in the Silver State on Oct. 7, 2006, when Diego Corrales fought Joel Casamayor at Mandalay Bay. Now, Shaw is back promoting a card tonight in Primm.

"I've been flying under the radar," Shaw said. "Everyone thought I had abdicated boxing. The truth is, my boxing business has never been busier or better. I've been reloading, and I've got a great group of fighters.''

Several of those fighters will be on display tonight at Buffalo Bill's Star of the Desert Arena. Two undefeated junior middleweights -- James Kirkland and Alfredo Angulo -- along with undefeated Cuban junior lightweight Yuriorkis Gamboa, will highlight the card, which will be televised on HBO beginning at 6:45 p.m.

Kirkland, who is 21-0 with 18 knockouts, faces Eromosele Albert (21-1, 10 KOs). Gamboa (9-0, eight KOs), who won the gold medal in the flyweight division at the 2004 Olympics, faces Darling Jimenez (23-2-2, 14 KOs). Angulo (12-0, nine KOs), who fought for Mexico in the 2004 Olympics, faces Richard Gutierrez (24-1, 14 KOs).

Shaw said the Angulo-Gutierrez fight could be the most intriguing of the three.

"I know Gutierrez is very talented, and Angulo has been boxing's best-kept secret," Shaw said. "He has great credentials, but no one knows how good he really is."

Shaw, who also has been working on a mixed martial arts business, said he never gave up on boxing in Nevada. For years, he had a close relationship at Mandalay Bay with Tony Alamo Sr., one of the hotel's executives. But when MGM Mirage bought Mandalay Bay in 2004, Shaw suddenly found himself doing less and less business with the new owners.

"I missed being there," Shaw said of Nevada. "My wife and I talked about that the other day, how long it's been. But as much as I liked promoting there, it was hard to get into Mandalay Bay. If they're not a buyer, I can't force them to buy."

When Shaw saw that Primm was looking to do some boxing, he decided to pursue a return to Nevada.

"I had a deal done in Texas, but when someone told me Primm might be looking for a fight, I decided to come back to Nevada," Shaw said. "It's a homecoming for me because I've always loved doing business in Nevada."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.